This thread is for people who have somewhat thought out settings that they don't want to expand (at this time) but they want to share with others (or store online for future retrieval). You can enter the settings in this thread using the worksheet. And feel free to edit and add to your setting as you get time and inclination. Just because it is here does not mean it is written in stone.

You must finish the entry to reasonable completeness. If you can't do it in one session, YOU MUST complete it in within the next day or so. Failure to do so could result in your post being deleted.

Note: If you want to start a thread in response to one of these worlds, start a new thread with a link back to the world of your interest. If you own the "setting", you can simply enter edit mode and cut/paste your worksheet to the new thread (either starting it or editing it).

Here is a worksheet that is fairly complete. From this stage I would generate a more complete write up, including sheets for important regions and such. I am not ever going to run this world, so I am not going to detail out the 21 regions, some major personalities, and do the bit more chrome needed to make this an interesting background.

Oh and if I was running this world, it would probably be in Hero System so I could custom all the Noble Powers.

Themes and Images: The world is built upon the seven elements, each represented by a gem/power stone. (An 8th element exists, as alien force invaded the world). Each stone type glows slightly. It has a base color, with overtones of the second color. Magery is built upon the stone elements, requiring foci. Noble houses are bound to one of the elemental powers, having innate magical abilities. 1) SunStone: Yellow and White swirling mass (Warm/ Light)2) GreenStone, sometimes called LifeStones. Anchor that of the Sphere itself. (Green, animal and plant control)3) MoonStone: White and White (Snow/ cold)4) RockStone: Brown and Red (Stone and Lava)5) LightningStone: Yellow and Blue (Lightning and active Fire)6) WaterStone: Blue and Green (Water and limited weather)7) Cloud Stone Blue and White (Wind/ Smoke/Weather)

8) NightStone Black with Blue. An alien stone. Alien invaders from another realm came with this power. Aka DarkStone and BlackStone. Shadi or Shadowstones as well. Anyone who has one can wield a NightStone's power. No binding rite required. More powers can be generated if binding is done. (Shadow and solid shadows)

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Worlds Specs: alt-Earth

Terrain: The world has three continents. The first two are north south axis Asia sized, the last is Australia sized. The last one is the "new world"

We have a variety of terrains in each of the lands.

Flora/Fauna: Fairly Earth typical.

Dragar: Larger than horse sized Dragon creatures. Quadropeds that can run on two legs. Only Cloudtype can fly. Each type of Dragar is alligned to an element. Can be used as warmounts.

There are some other species that are stone alligned. Gembirds (large Falcon) and GemCats (tiger sized) are also elementally alligned.

There might be some other NightStone spawn still in the hinterlands. NightStone monsters were used as shock troops by the Invaders. Some survived their master's retreats.

Resources: Other than stones, pretty standard. Only exception: Orchium, a magical metal. In rawer form it can disrupt magic. In an alloy similiar to steel Oristell, it enhances magical effects.

Races and Peoples: Each Noble House has its own distinctive coloring and look because of its association with a given stone. Each house will give notable attribute bonuses (and negative mods) as well.

Each region (which each lord-dom will have two or three) will have its own ethnicity. Each region is based upon old kingdom states. Most of these are cosmetic, but some will provide skills emphasis, and a rare one or two will have attribute mods. Yes this is 21 country areas to fill out

One must remember that the Champions originally came from one of these 21 areas.

Yes these 21 areas will be thumbnail sketched. If I was doing this world completely, each would get it own worksheet.

Wizards, those of the magical ability, are a seperate sub-type of human. You are born a wizard, or you are not. They are bald, odd eyed folk, with a thin build. They tend to live in their own quarters. Magic ability is double recessive, so unless both parents are wizards, you won't have magic.

Cultural Overview: Magical Fedualism. There used to be dozens of kingdoms. After invasion by DarkForces, the set of champions selected by the Grand Wizard became the first StoneLords. They rule by a combination of tradition and mystical might. They are ruled by the GreenStone house. Note: The Dark Forces can only access the world (allegedly) when there is not seven StoneLords.

The world has the late Medievalish set of social classes of Growers, Makers, Wizard, Warrior, and Noble.

Each of the 21 regions has its own little flavor.

Calendar/Standards: There are six months in a year (each Month is two terrestrial months). The year has four seasons. The world has approximately 336 days.

The Moon face changes and revolves in an eight week period. It takes four weeks to move between new to full.

Institutions-Major: GreenLord's Council- StoneLords (and occasionally their heir or represenitives) sit and debate what needs to be done. Then the GreenLord does it.

Guild Council- every area, region, and lord-dom has one. They run business and business concerns for everyone. They have to defer to GreenLord's council for anything that effects the world.

Fedual Structure.Wizard's council- The real power behind the world. They are the councillors of every Guild and Noble. They are managing the flow of the world to keep it prepared for the next Shadi invasion. (Of course the public face is that they will never come again, but the wizards know that is a total fabrication).

Laws and Morals: Moral law: Never wear black. Only those truely EVIL would wear that color.

Laws are fairly standard, punishments vary: Crimes against lower class- fines and embarassing slaps on wrists, crimes against same class- notable fines and minor servitudes, crimes against higher classes- major servitudes and maybe death. Note: Crimes against wizards hold death penalties and worse. Nobody messes with them because they are generally respected and revered by everyone. If you do, well it had better of been worth it because you will wish you had not.

Family: Usual family situation is one or more grand parent, husband and wife, their children. If the family is noble, there might be brothers and sisters of the husband and wife along.

Social classes: The world has the late Medievalish set of social classes of Farmer, Crafter/Merchant, Wizard, Warrior, and Noble.

You are born into your class. You can only change classes under extraordinary circumstances. After completing training or achieving adulthood, the wizards brand you with your class guild affiliation.

Growers: We Make Food. Tied to your given parcel of land, trading food for protection or craft goods. Farmers also include herders and gatherers. Woodsmen associated with a given green, are generally of the Growers.

Makers: We Make Things. You are tied to the guild of your birth. You might slide to another guild, but it is unlikely. Some of these folks work villages, but most are in towns. A few are noble retainers, but they are few and far between. After all, hanging around nobles is a good way to get attacked.

Wizards: We Do Wisdom. General magic users. They function as priests, advisors, councilors, and occasionally magic users. While most are associated with nobles, there should be one in each town/ city.

Warriors: We Enforce Order.These are non powered nobles. They come in two flavors, Sheriffs and Knights. Sheriffs are retainers to Nobles, running a given plot, keeping order, protecting growers, crafters, and towns.

Some are retainers to Sheriffs. These Knights act as the strong arms of the given Sheriff.

Nobles whos bloodline has shifted from the Prime become Warriors by default.

Nobles: We Make Order.These are the bloodlines descended from the original champions, first StoneLords. StoneLords are SuperHero competitive. Their family and first blood relations have powers, but about half. Two blood steps away have a touch of power. Three or more are nothing but honored warriors. (Bloodline is set by the gender of the StoneLord).

The symbol of their power is their StonePowers, super powers they receive from their association with a Stone's force. The closer your blood tie is to the StoneLord, the more notable your powers. It is easy to spot nobles here.

Stones (as apposed to StoneLords) are normally assigned to supervise the Sherriffs of a given region. In addition some Nobles become Sherriffs.

Note: If someone else was given the ritual of marking/ accension, they would become the StoneLord and their clan would be given the power. While people think the bloodline is important, it is not.

Note that the StoneLords owe fealty and support to the GreenStoneLord. He coordinates their efforts.

Political Power: Knights keep local orderSherrifs control areasStones control regionsStoneLords control Lord-domsGreenStoneLord controls the stonelords.

Economics: We have a feudal economy. Silver coins find their way to peasants as their basic "rent" in food is minimal per GreenStone Law.

Religion: Religion, not a big thing here. One Universal Force/ Diety, wise and unknowable. A vague father figure. The world is nothing more than the interplay of the seven cosmic forces. Wisdom comes from understanding the interplay of the cosmic forces. We have a zen/taoist religion view.

Wizards (who are effectively priests) use their understanding of the flows to do magic, but more importantly guide people to be in harmony with the cosmic forces. Wizardborn (half wizards) and humans who act as acolytes to support wizards.

Wizards are divorsed from worldly affairs. That is part of their problem. They give good theoretical advice, but very bad specific advice. They also view the world with "rose colored glasses." (note, future dramatic element).

Wizards perform Marking ceremonies, where people are magically tatooed with class and or guild symbols. That way you know what everyone is supposed to be.

Technology and Common Power: Military Weapons and Tactics Fairly standard fantasy fare. Plate and Chain at best.

Orch steel swords are used by Stone and elite warrior (usually of noble clan) units. This enhances their power.

GreenLord has a unit that is equipped with Orchium shields and swords. They are designed to stop rogue wizards (very rare) and nobles.

Industrial/ Production Pre-industrial production. The population is not large enough and the economy under developed to have an industrial revolution. Things are created in shops with a couple of guildsmen working together.

Medical This is where the world gets tough. It only has non-magical healing. The wizards are good at this non-magical healing as educated folks. Green Cloaks are the healers here, all taught at a central accademy (at the GreenLord's lands). They are actually better healers and medical personal than one would expect given the world.

Agricultural Crop Rotation and some land management skills. The world is not quite at full occupancy given its food production.

Communication:Wizards have a magical way of communicating (telepathy). Other than that, it is couriers.

Wizards run the gate system.This is about as common and as frequent as transatlantic flights in the late 20s. That is to say, not at all, and very expensive.

Arts/ Literature: Songs very common. A Bardic class may be appropriateI need to work out some classic works. Many sing the praises of warriors who defeated the Shadi.

Shadow: There is occasionally an organized crime guild, but that is rare and more a thing of myth. They are normally small crime families.

There are still those alligned with the Shadi, those of the DarkStones. They are secret cultists, trading power and position (now and in the future) for assisting the Shadi

Power: The StoneLords will have minor "super powers" based upon their Stone Allignment. Those of NobleBlood will also have weaker versions of these powers, the farther away they are from the Lord by blood. The family chooses the next StoneLord, and in a wizardly ceremony

Wizard can perform minor powers of all stone allignments, in addition they can do meta-magic or things that effect power. They have mental powers (and magic that simulates it). They can sense the future, look at the present, and snoop on the past. They work Orchium and Oristell.

Magic StoneSwords enhance the cosmic magics of the Nobles. If you have a touch of blood, the sword can help you.

NightStone power is somewhat limited due to a binding done by the original StoneLords. It is still there and can be quite effective, but it is nothing compared to its full power. The full power can only be accessed by breaking the binding. That can only be done in a time of transition, between the accension of new StoneLords after the death of another. (SO you can imagine their Shadi agents are working to forment issues to causes power struggles and even civil wars.)

Paranormal: The Shadi are still around in very limited numbers. Those that are here are trapped here. (any travel to the world is one way). They are odd people with green grey skin and huge eyes.

Their monsterous shocktroops were mostly killed off in the way, but a few were left behind when the Shadi pulled out. This monsters still occasionally come out from the hinterlands (or lost eggs) and wreck havok.

Elementals are small handsized critters that reflect the stone cosmic forces. Pretty but have little practical application.

History Brief: World developed.People developed.Big War. Other races killed. BlackStone badies invade.Wizards bring together champions. They allign with the powers of Rythor's stones, and defead the BlackStone badies.Establishment of the StoneLord's rules.

Rules:All the elements have allied powers and antagonistic powers which they have bonuses and mods against. GreenStone has a slight advantage against everything except DarkStone.

TyrrhenThis world was inspired by a long time of playing Phantasy Star Online. The language I'm using is an actual language, Etruscan, to which I have a small lexicon in a history book on them that I recently got.I have no intention of fleshing this out, so if anybody wants to take this and make it their own, fine by me.

Themes and Images: There are two super-advanced cultures in this world, and all the other people are basically late Stone Age to middle Bronze Age. The two cultures are the Spurethi and Tmial; they are the declining, hedonistic descendants of a human colony-ship that crashed on Tyrrhen thousands of years ago. The barbarians around Spurethi (from the Etruscan word "spur" meaning "city") and Tmial (from the Etruscan word "tmia", meaning "temple") are also human, but they are not from the colony-ship. They were present at the crash.The Universe this takes place in is not ours, but it is certainly not a total fantasy. There are gods, the Ausar, extradimensional psychic beings who the Spurethi and Tmial worship; the leader of these gods is Tin, the Lord of the Arch of Heaven, and his husband/wife is Ausel, the Sun. The barbarians worship members of a shapeshifting alien race called the Thersu. Various Thersu factions war over the control of the barbarians, hence, the different barbarian pantheons and cultures. I do not assert that the Traveling People's ship was necessarily a "star"ship as we would know it. Their universe may be different altogether from ours.The barbarians utilize "magic" (psychic abilities that the Thersu have infused in them); the Traveling People (the Spurethi and Tmial) utilize their light-based photon technology. They can freeze energy and light to build things out of. They recieved much of their technology from the Ausar before the Crash.

Worlds Specs: Semi-Earth. It has been somewhat terraformed by the Traveling People to match their own planet, so in the regions of their empires it is a planet of lush purplish-jungle similar to Earth. But in the nonterraformed areas, it is vast forests of neon-glowing fungus. The oceans are the same, though the sealife is more protoplasmic and jellyfish-like. The Traveling People jungles are populated by Earth-like animals (though not exactly Earth's); the alien zones of the barbarians are populated by massive armored slugs, masses of tentacles, land-jellyfish, and other strange alien animals.

Terrain: There are two huge continents (now called Spurethi and Tmial), connected by a chain of islands and a narrow bridge of land called the Path of War (due to the many battles fought between Spurethi and Tmial on it). There are two or three additional smaller continents. The interior areas of Spurethi and Tmial are Traveler-jungle (Purple jungle, Earth-like animals), but all other regions are indigenous fungus-forests. There are two major deserts on the Tmial continent and one of its satellite landmasses. Much of the land is threaded with rivers. The world is a very volcanically-active one.

Flora/Fauna:In Traveler jungles- Plants much like those of Earth's tropical rainforests, though it is purple rather than green, and grows to much larger sizes than we would be used to. Much of the jungle contains the ruins of old Traveler settlements, such as power gates, energy walls, old outposts, and ancient light-trams.Animals are Earth-like but subtly different- there are saber-toothed cats with red fur and black stripes, green-furred monkeys that howl, brilliantly-colored birds, very large insects (mostly the centipede and caterpillar-like bugs), deer with huge curving horns instead of antlers.

In the indigenous fungus-forest- Bizarre forests of fungus. The trees are huge pillars of fungus, bridged by giant ruffled fans of the stuff; there is fungus in every form imaginable here. The underbrush is smaller fungus.Animals are bizarre. There are huge, silicon-armored slugs, land-based jellyfish-like "slurpers", and six-legged animals of all sorts; most of the animals have armor of one sort or another.-Clickers: These are the indigenous version of wolves. They have six legs in a splayed shape around them, all connecting to a central, anvil-shaped pod/head/body.-Screechers: Six-legged furry animals who eat by osmosis. They are large and fat, and some barbarians use them like cattle.

Resources: Earth-like metals. Lots and lots of iron and lots and lots of silver, but very little gold.In Traveler forests- Earth-like standard.In fungus-forests- lots of fungus can be used as food, or is poisonous. When a certain species of fungus dies, it crystallizes and crumbles into a metallic sand.

Races and Peoples: There are two basic races of humans on this world:The Traveler People- These are the descendants of the humans who crashed here with their colony-ship in the ancient past. They speak the Traveler Tongue (If I were fleshing this out, I would use Etruscan). There are two Traveler ethnicities- the Spurethi and the Tmial. The Traveler People are superadvanced, and use technology based on solid light and frozen energy. They worship the Ausar (extradimensional psychic beings with near-limitless psychic power).The Barbarians are a variety of ethnicities and cultures, ranging from Stone Age to Bronze Age technology. They did not arrive with the Traveler People, they were on Tyrrhen before; it is one of the great mysteries of the world. There are as many different Barbarian cultures as the GM may wish. They worship the Thersu, shapeshifters who pretend to be their gods.

There is one non-human race on Tyrrhen (though the Ausar are technically everywhere at once, but we won't go into that), and that race is the Thersu (Thersu is the Traveler Peoples' name for them; Thersu is Etruscan for "mask" or "masked person"). The Thersu are a shapeshifting alien race, who, like the Traveler People, are not aboriginal to Tyrrhen. They claim to have come thousands of years previously through something they call the Great Door. Thersu are colony organisms made up of thousands of tiny bubbles of fluid substance. They can rearrange themselves in practically any shape imaginable, and they can change their color and texture, et cetera. They can give themselves the appearance of greater or lesser mass, by swelling their bubbles outward or discarding some.

Cultural Overview: The Spurethi and the Tmial are individual semi-republics. There are no real laws in Traveler culture, only suggestions, and even these are losing their power. Their cultures are falling into decadence and hedonism as they lose their drive. This is the last stage of losing hope- most Traveler People now believe that the rescue ship that their ancestors watched for will never come.The Barbarians dwell in hundreds of different ways, but most are monarchies or tribes.

Calendar/Standards: There are 325 days in a Tyrrhenian year. There are no months as we see them in the Traveler calendar. Instead, each week of five days is marked with the name of one of the original 65 Traveler families. All Traveler People know these weeks by heart.

Institutions-Major: Spurethi and Tmial nations, and the Barbarian lands.

Thersu Factions-The Red Phylum- these Thersu advocate the extermination of humans.The Blue Phylum- these Thersu advocate ignoring humans.The Phylum of Humans- this small group advocates helping humans.There are hundreds of thousands of Thersu factions, this is just a sample.

The Ausar Priesthood- The Ausar temples in Traveler cities are not staffed by human priests. Instead, the Ausar utilize Snenath (Etruscan "maidservant, female companion"), energy beings from the Ausar dimension who take the form of beautiful women. The Ausar manipulate the politics of the Travelers, war against the Thersu, and basically influence our dimension through the Snenath.

The Warrior-Travelers- The Warrior-Travelers are those of the Traveler People who have turned their backs on the hedonistic, fatalistic Travelers and gone out into the wilderness. Some seek to help barbarians gain technology. Others attempt to destroy the Traveler nations. Others look for lost Traveler or Ausar technology so that they can signal a rescue ship.

Laws and Morals: Pretty much like our laws, but they are not actively policed anymore in Traveler cities. Crime is high, and the motivation to stop it is very low- the Travelers have pretty much lost hope of doing anything and fallen into a hedonistic swoon. The only people doing anything about policing or good deeds are the Warrior Travelers.

Family: Traveler families don't exist. The children are raised by the Parent Machines, and are turned loose at the age of 14.Barbarians have all different sorts of family types.

Social classes: The Travelers have a supposedly democratic society, but in actuality, most keep barbarian slaves.The leaders of the Travelers are the Politicians and the Directors (presidents). These form a pseudo-aristocracy. Below them are everybody else, except for slaves. There are various sub-classes based on economic status.

Political Power: In the Traveler nations, political power is in the hands of the Directors and the Politicians. The Ausar Priesthood also has considerable power.In Barbarian lands, who knows where?

Economics: Advanced, credit-based economies in the Traveler cities, although these are breaking down, and Tmial has fallen into a deep economic depression.Barbarians are anywhere from barter-and-trade to primitive coins.

Religion: The Travelers worship the Ausar (Etruscan for "gods"), extradimensional psychic beings. Travelers strike a strange balance between science and technology- most scientists are also devout worshippers. Temples are usually at the bases of the supercomputers that administrate cities.The Ausar are-Tin- Lord of the Arch of Heaven, Master of the Stars, Creator of the SkyUni- The Queen of Heaven, Mother of the UniverseMenerva- Creatrix of Civilization, Weaver, the ArtistSethlans- The Ausar of the Forge, Toolmaker, the InnovatorTurms- The Quick One, Lord of Speech and Thought, Carrier of MessagesTuran- The Lady, the Lady of Beauty, the LoverMaris- The Bloody-Handed One, The Lord of War, the Firer of Beams

A sample of Thersu "gods" worshipped by barbarians (Note, most names are Thersu names corrupted by barbarian renderings)- YaarBaalaag (original Thersu name)- the Leech God, the Firebreather, the Invincible OneGilyish- the Lord of Thunder, the Lightning ThrowerMicz-Fahtagh- the Lady of Passion, the Giver of EcstasyHaacsPaar (original Thersu name)- the Brilliant, the Giver of GiftsGul'tac'gun'tal- The Roarer, the Defeater, the Night StranglerVaax (original Thersu name)- The Darkness in the House

Technology and Common Power: Travelers are advanced in all respects, save communications, wherein they are strangely defficient. They use inefficient, power-sucking photon transfers for messaging. Their weapons use frozen energy for melee weapons and Masers for projectile weapons.The Barbarians are Stone-to-Bronze Age level technology.

Holidays: Probably special days for every Ausar.

Transportation: Mysteriously, almost all of the old Traveler light-rails and air-cars ceased to function several hundred years ago. Therefore, most travel is done by walking. Some light-rails still function, and a few of the transfer-gates that teleport, but for the most part, Travelers must make due with walking or carts. They have experimented with ground cars, but such cars require roads, and most Travelers are too lazy to put that much effort into traveling. Some don't even travel at all.

Arts/ Literature: Traveler art is mostly light-sculptures and light-patterns. Their literature is a lot of gloomy poems and Bacchanal songs.

Shadow: There are always the Thersu lurking about, plotting and such. In addition, there are the Eiser, second group of "gods" similar to the Ausar, who have thus far proved hostile to humanity.The Traveler society is crumbling. There is a ton of crime.

Power: Many barbarians have psychic powers which they call "magic", given to them by Thersu manipulation.

Paranormal: Nothing we would deem supernatural, per se, though in the case of the Ausar, this is debatable.

History Brief: (Distant distant past) Thersu arrive on Tyrrhen.(Distant past) Traveler Peoples' planet/world/plane/whatever is destroyed. Colony ships are sent out.Traveler People crash on Tyrrhen.Argument between the families on the ship. Half go east, half go west.East goers form Spurethi. West goers form Tmial. Barbarians first encountered.War between Traveler nations.(many years pass)Most travel technology ceases to function.Present.

Rules:Players can be barbarians or Warrior-Travelers.Traveler Tech breaks down over time, and breaks down faster the farther one goes from the Traveler cities.

Terrain: There is one huge continent that stretches across a third of the world, from the northern polar icecap almost down to the southern icecap at the pole.During winter icebergs make the southern route very hazardous for shipping.There is also one large island about a hundered miles across and a chain of small islands further out to sea

Flora/Fauna: Much of it is the same as on Earth with a few differences.

:Wrappers-These creatures are like rays but move about on the land as well as in the rivers and seas.Their eyes are on stalks and they have two tentacles and a toothy mouth. Some are aquatic, others live on the land.Some types have been domesticated as pets whilst others remain wild, and the different types range in size from the size of a handkerchief, to up to thirty feet.All can change colour to blend in with the background.

:Silverspiders-These spiders have a bite that has a strong narcotic and addictive effect and people have been known to become spider junkies. Many attempts have been made to wipe them out but without success.

:Giant Spiders: Once,much of this world was ruled not by humans but by spiders, but they were unable to stop the humans from gaining technology and wiping most of them out. Now the eastern spider giants are on a reservation, whilst the western ones still have a country of their own, protected by a desert that stopped humans from attacking it.

Resources: Much like ours. Gold is more common and is used for coinage in the richer countries. The most valuable mineral is called Silverrock and is highly magical.

Races and Peoples: The outlying islands are ruled by pirates. A country called the Empire, a military dictatorship, is on the south, but most of the continent is ruled by the Elohalothian people.

Cultural Overview: The culture within the great cities is largely one of earning and saving money.The very rich tend to go in for marble houses and statues.In the countryside the culture is far more family orientated.

Calendar/Standards: Twelve months each of forty days.Each week is ten days long.Eight are work days, two are rest days.

Institutions-Major: The Central Committee rules most of the country and makes all the most important matters. A Central Council underneath deals with the less important state matters. There is a Supreme Court composed of the two rulers of the country and three professional judges.

Laws and Morals: For small offences, people are fined or whipped or both.Medium offences mean a prison term for the perp. Murder at all times, and mutiny or treason in times of war, are punished by death.

Family: Amongst both the humans and the giant spiders, normally a nuclear family (parents and children.)

Social classes: At the bottom are the homeless, the down-and-outs, alcoholics,unemployed, drug abusers and convicts. Then there are the menial workers and the lowest ranks in the armed forces.Above them are the teachers, doctors,lawyers, dentists and most other professional classes, and the police and armed forces officers.Above them are the *captains of industry* politicians, judges, generals and the famous.There is no formal class system.Technicly an alcoholic could beat his or her addiction and become President of the Central Committee-but it would be very unlikely. Only the very rich can cast spells.

Political Power: The President of the Central Committee claims to hold power but he shares it in practise with the Minister of War who controls the armed forces. He also must get his laws passed by the lower and upper houses in the Whitehouse.

Economics: 100 pennys in the Elohlothian Pound. One State Bank. Five big shopping chains, each of which by arrangement with the goverment *owns* a piece of territory. People can shop elsewhere but only if they are willing and able to travel great distances.In the capital all the shopping chains are represented.

Religion: One God. Religion is very conformist but secularism is becoming much more common.It is beleaved by those who are religious that the poor were evil in a former life and the rich were good.So an evil rich person will be reborn as a pauper.

Technology and Common Power: Futerestic.Most people will have skycutters, TV's,phones ect.Military Weapons and Tactics The army and navy have the rifle and bayonet, with swords and pistols for officers, the airforce have pistols.

First the fighters of opposing sides will fight it out, then came the tanks and armored military skycutters, then the soldiers behind them. Wars are rare.

Industrial/ Production Apart from a few small buisnesses, the five great industrial firms produce everything.Medical High-Tech, all but a few nasty cancers, and several types of mental disease, can be cured. There is no national health service, however, so the poor tend to die young.Agricultural Great fields of wheat, and herds of cattle and wrappers, plus all kinds of fruit.A fifth of the continent is devoted to growing food.Communication Phones.Math and Science: High tech...space travel to other planets is possible,ectConstruction Houses are built of brick or stone to avoid fires,and thatched roofs are banned for the same reason.The poor live in crowded flats, the rich in great mansions.Information: Other Knowledge

Holidays: New Year's Day-when everyone is too tired/hungover to come to work be they rich or poor.

A month in the summer for everyone.

Halloween, when everyone gets the day off to prepare their defences against attack from the undead. Every Halloween night is a major battle as it is the one day of the year when the undead rise and attack the living to try and break the Sacred Seals.

Sunreturn where everybody decorates their houses with green plants and exchanges presents.They have a meal of roast wrapper and Sunreturn pudding, and it is said that on Sunreturn Eve Father Sunreturn gives gifts to all the good people.

Transportation: Sky-cutters, a kind of hovercraft the size of a car. Also trains and planes.

Arts/ Literature:

Shadow: The Tens, a guild of extortionists with branches in every major town, who never extort too much as that would *kill* the shops/stalls that they feed on and bring heavy police attention down on them.

Power: Magical power is linked to ownership of a rare mineral named silverrock, which is as rare as diamonds.When a spell is cast the silverrock used to cast it turns to dust.So only a score of people are rich enough to cast major long term spells.

Paranormal: No ghosts except at Halloween when the gate between the living and the dead opens, then every kind of ghost that you can think of.The cremated become glowing fireballs that ignite anything they touch on that night, whilst the buried climb out of their graves.

History Brief: After their own planet was destroyed by their sun coming to the end of it's life, the Elohalothians landed, wiped out most of the giant spiders, and took over.

Themes and Images: 1) We have vampires as immortal nobles, whos will is enforced by Werewolves and other Night/ Moon Breeds, running an army of undead skeletons and zombies, ruling over a society of Humans. 1b) There will be different gentes/ bloodlines of ectomorphic parasites that grant their powers in exchange for lifeenergy 2) From this point forward, we will never use the words Vampires, Werewolves, etc. We will use cool poetic names like Blood Lords, MoonKnights, etc.3) All magic will be empowered by Blood/ life energy.4) The naming convention shall be poetic.5) The society is static and ritualistic.5b) I see big dramatic buildings. 6) For Drama, we should have the Empire of the Scarlet Moon just take over a human society... so there is friction. Secret rebellion7) Something has occured and now the world is in perpetual twilight (day being light twilight, night be dark twilight). Perhaps Fog? Now the Empire has taken over.

Worlds Specs: Three tightly knit Aussie sized continents. General Earth world. There might be "new lands" out there somewhere.

Terrain: Varied. depends on

Flora/Fauna: Earth Standard. All the monsters around here, except for Gargoyles (who should be baboon/ chimp smart), are intelligent.

Resources: What you would expect when you expect it. Blood is symbolic for life energy, a carrier. Life Energy empowers magic around here. Thus blood, freshly removed, has power. Blood properly preserved can be used as a manna battery.

Races and Peoples: Humans. There are four Human subspecies. From an outsiders perspective, all these people will have vaguely asian shaped eyes... slightly larger (anime influenced). All of these people will have very little body hair. They will also be more durrable than Humans from other spheres.

Selen: Fair of skin, Red and Blond of hair, pale of eyes, graceful and thin of limb. This is the majority of the Children (of the Empire).

Westeners: (Europeans) Middle Sized, Brown to Blond, Blue to Green eyes, fair to moderate skin. (While these are the "new kinds" of people... it is interesting to note that the really, really old blood lords are from this stock).

Zelmet: (Aegyptians) Dusky skin, black hair, eyes in the browns to greens, but Selen in terms of shape build and feature. They belong to a people who had a great empire long ago that was similar to the Scarlet Moon in feature. The Zelmet serve as "middle management", willingly serving the Empire and seeing the BloodLords as Gods, but not wanting to be raised to overlord status (purity of their own blood).

Cultural Overview: We have an "Evil Empire" which uses the twin weapons of Tradition and Fear to keep its human population in line. The Empire is decadent and minimally a meritocracy. If it did not have overwhelming power on its side, it would fall.

But since they have managed to make the perpetual twilight extend across the world... their rein is unstopable.

Calendar/Standards: Lunar calender, borrow the Chinese calander with different animals.

Institutions-Major: Various Legions of the MoonKnights.

The Sanguine, the BloodLord council.

Laws and Morals: Mostly what you would expect. The Laws are Roman in style... which is to say... a crime is a crime, though social standing can influence punishment.... and very technical.

The society pushes stability and order. A very Lawful Neutral to Lawful Evil sort of place.

To be honest, nobody is starving, society is very orderly and safe. The only thing you have to give up is your freedom and some blood tithe.

Family: Three Geneations usually living with each other.

Social classes: while technically a meritocracy, the classes are quite rigid. Class position normally determines your subspecies (empowerment of blood). There shall be a dozen or so social classes each with their very specific rules.

BloodLords (First of the Scarlet Moons) Attendents (Gouls and Zelmet normally) Personal Regional: Work with Keepers of the Way

MoonKnights (Changing Ones, Moon Children... though it does not breed true) The Fist of the Moon (Zombies and other shambling undead who make up the bulk of the soldiers).

Keepers of the Way: Manderins, administrators for regions. Could be any Elite.

Way of Life's Flow: (Magi)

Users of Wood and Warp: Craftsmen

Collectors of Earths Bounty: Farmers

Cull: Exist only to give blood. They are well fed and cared for, but their lifespan is limited.

Political Power: In the Hands of the BloodLords. In The West (where we are just taking over thanks to the twilight), new bloodLords have been made out of the Old Nobles who surrendered (those that did not were killed).

Economics: slow central development. Only BloodLords can do big businesss. Only Humans can do local businesses.

To be honest, nobody is starving, society is very orderly and safe. The only thing you have to give up is your freedom and some blood tithe.

Religion: Religion has been outlawed. And since it was always a religion of faith, rather than one of power. The State Religion is mostly a moral code, confuscionistic in nature, with veneration of the elderly and the immortal (hence the Blood Lords).

Technology and Common Power: Military Weapons and Tactics It is sword and partial plate pieces. There are claw gloves that enhance a MoonChild's own weapons. This is only a slight downgrade in personal protection found in the West.

Industrial/ Production Primative, single craftsmen and teaching. No guilds. No organized learning

The Western regions had these things, but is slowly loosing them .

Medical Primative. If it wasn't for magic, there would be no real healing. Humans die of easy to deal with diseases and maladies all the time. It shows how fragil and transient they are.

Agricultural Production of food products has actually decreased under the Empire. The change in sun status plus the lack of useful farming tools.

Communication Magical Telepathy and sprinting MoonChildren are the fastest. After that it is runner. There are no horses.

Math and Science: What is that? The Empire focuses upon tradition and standard ways. There is no innovation.

Construction Muscle Power. They are learning some things from the West, but very little.

Information: Books are so much more portable than scrolls.

Other Knowledge

Holidays: Celtic Basics, Solstice/ Equinox and midpoints. Need to shift them to a darker point.

Transportation: Horses don't exist. No calv. There are beasts of burden, oxen and such, but nothing really ridable. Horses were eliminated in The Empire because they gave humans a potential advantage.

This gives the MoonKnights and many of the changing breeds the advantage of being faster and stronger than the Humans.

So we have carts... slow moving carts.We have wind powered ships. We have magical scrying and communiation, but not travel.

Arts/ Literature: Plays are very common. Books/ printing presses have been invented and are tightly under the control of the BloodLords

BloodLords like their leisure time activities, so there are always players.

Shadow: While the public face of things is that all is well and cohesive among the BloodLords.. such is not really the case. Immortal intrigue and assassination are the tools of the trade. We have Ninjas here... each lord runs a stable of them.

Power: All power is based upon the sacrifice of lifeenergy, through the symbolic carrier of blood. This is a ritual and moderate magic level. So spells go boom, but they do so after a lot of prep. A mage might be able to store upto five spells but more than that and they will implode.

There are humans sorcereers, who do general magics. It is from this pool that new Blood is recruited. Some Changing children.

Blood embued with beast or moon gives us the changing children...

Paranormal: The paranormal are in charge around here. To use the shorthandVampires (Blood Lords) run things as immortal nobles, but anyone of merit can be made a noble. Patron/ client (sire/ kinder) relationship.Most Humans, who seek a better life, allow themselves to be transformed into a changing breed or night breed (Gouls, etc)

Gouls are fed vampiric blood. They are trusted minion who are dependent upon their Gods (Vampire Lords)

Changing Breeds and MoonKnights are normally organized along Kind.

History Brief: Empire started in the South East, upon the remains of another empire.

There was an Empire in the west, which has fallen (creating the existing medival times) due to the influx of nomads (and horse calv).

The empire has slowly moved to the West. The West resisted briefly, then fallen because they could not organize an effective and coherient defense together.

So the West has been recently absorbed and has yet to settle in under the yoke of the Empire. Half the Southlands (a seperate yet nearby continent) is under their rule.

Rules:As much as I hate to say it, cool crunchy bits for all the BloodLords, MoonKnights, and other non humans.

Some humans will have DarkVision, ability to see in this twilight as if it was day.

Basic Concept: A world (possibly called Genkou), influenced by ancient Japan and by Exalted, of noble warriors (joubu, literally, hero), pledged (like samurai) to warrior-lords of various regions (shokou, meaning lords, princes).

Listings

Themes and Images:1. A wilderness land with wild, crazy, and geomantically powerful landscapes such as impossibly huge mountains, gigantic cliffs, thousand-mile black swamps, huge waterfalls with palaces built on them, forests of massive trees with cities in their branches, et cetera.2. There are two kinds of people- the Koushou, who are civilized people whose society is based on the feudal system, and the Rurousha, who are nomadic barbarian folk.3. The Koushou are a hyper-ritualistic, Japanese-themed society4. The Joubu are like Exalted or Ronin Warriors- they are gifted with great power, and have magical armor suits and weapons.5. Big, anime-style, over-the-top magical action, and similar drama.6. Instead of Monsters, we have Kaibutsu, monsters who are really strange and really powerful. Well suited for battling Joubu.7. Very spiritual world- mix Princess Mononoke, Exalted, Final Fantasy, and such. Monks, nomad shamans, geomancers, wild spirits, oni, and all of that.

World Specs:A huge central continent with three lobes. On the outer edges, island chains. South of this land, there is the little known cold land, where dwell religious fanatics.

Terrain:Varies from place to place, but is generally grandiose and wild, with amazing things you wouldn't see on earth- hundred mile canyons bridged by thousands of thin stone bridges, natural sculptures, titanic forests where even the roots are larger than a normal building, mountain chains which split the clouds, running thousands of miles, huge black jungle-swamps.

Flora/Fauna:Earth standard, plus crazy, wacked-out, over-the-top specimens. The Kaibutsu are all over the place, in addition to regular animals.

Resources:Nothing new except for various magical things and stuff.Joubu armor and weapons are made from Eisha, a rare and magical metal. Jade has magical properties.

Races and Peoples:Humans:

Koushou- the civilized people, who dwell in magical palaces and cities all throughout the land, ruled by the shokou, the lords, and whose warriors are the joubu. They are all Asian-ish in appearance, though they have more diverse hair and skin tones.

Rurousha- the nomadic people, who dwell all throughout the wilderness. They are led by their shamans, who are all powerful geomancers. They look the same as Koushou, the difference is mainly cultural.

Southlanders- the Koushou call them "nanpou", the southern. They live on the icy southern continent, and are rarely seen by Koushou or Rurousha. They are religious fanatics, and regard Koushou and Rurousha as heretics and demon-worshippers. They are essentially Caucasian in appearance.

The Rajhava- see the thread. The Koushou call them "sennin". Rajhava cults are threats to both Koushou and Rurousha, because Rajhava create their own strange Kaibutsu out of dreams.

The Bakemono- this reclusive, metallic race dwells in the mountains, and little is known of them (They are the Duerga; see thread).

Calendar/Standards:Traditionally counted from the first time that Terashi (the sun god) rose upon the world. Cyclical Chinese-style calendar (Year of the Rat, Hound, Horse, Snake, et cetera)

Institutions:The Kaigi- this is a ritualistic conclave of all the shokou of the Koushou, called every two years to dictate major changes among the Koushou. Not only do they establish the framework for Koushou laws, they also have the authority to change customs and even basic beliefs, which they do frequently, and often arbitrarily. The purpose of the Kaigi was originally to renew and recreate rituals and prayers to the Kami (gods), but as the purpose of shokou expanded from ritual rulers to actual lords, they became the arbiters of all above-mentioned things.

The Eppei- originally meaning a procession of troops, this is the secret society/religion to which all joubu belong.

The Shouka- the competing merchant houses.

The various governments of the shokou, and special pacts among joubu.

Laws and Morals:

Depends on what kokudo (realm) of which shokou you are in. Every two years, the Kaigi meet to discuss laws, customs, and beliefs among the Koushou. At the Kaishi, frameworks are established for the shokou to work with in creating the laws for their kokudo.Thus, laws among the Koshou are often arbitrary and transient, and may change absolutely within two years.Laws among the Koushou are also highly ritualistic and based on the wishes of the Saishi (priests of the Kami).

Among the Rurousha, laws depend on which tribe you are in, though most of the nomads tend to have "loose" sexual morals (as we would percieve it) and are full of highly ritualized rites of passage and meetings.Also- Rurousha have complicated rituals which are required when meeting or greeting. These rituals vary from tribe to tribe, but are often quite long and stilted- some take hours.

Family:

Among the Koushou, age and familial ties are venerated. To have a famous ancestor is to be famous. One must obey the orders of ones parents and grandparents absolutely; when one is a grandparent or parent, it is one's responsibility to guide the family with wisdom and strength.Thus, clan ties are also important. Your clan is your strength- some clans even behave like mafia families.

Among the Rurousha, the family is usually a huge, nebulous affair- nobody is quite sure who is related to who, so it is often taken for granted that every adult male in the village was the father of every child with every adult woman. Typically, it isn't that important to the Rurousha, and they do not understand why the Koushou keep such intricate and ritualistic family ties.

Class System:Koushou:Shokou- the lords, nobles, rulers. non-permeable, passed on through inheritance or through military coup by a joubu.Joubu- the "heroes", the warriors. Also an inherited class. Some clans are Joubu clans, others are not. The Joubu are the protectors, arbiters, and celebrities of the society. They are also very powerful and very magical. Only the fact that the Shokou are powerful as well stops them from taking over society.Saishi- the priesthood of the Kami. This social class can be joined by one of any other class.Heimin- a blanket term- anyone not of the other classes. Generally, heimin clans are always heimin clans, and there is no upward mobility, except perhaps to join the saishi or the gyousha.Gyousha- the merchant class. They have something of a symbiotic relationship with the joubu- the need protection from the Kaibutsu, while the joubu need the Eisha, Jade, and other magic stuff that the merchant houses provide.Eta- slaves and outcastes. Eta are always eta. They are often confined to dank undercities.

Rurousha:Shaman, warriors, and everyone else.

Political Power:Koushou:Centered in the hands of the (ridiculously powerful) shokou, though they are influenced by the saishi and the joubu.

Rurousha:Tribes are headed by a "pathfinder" (chief) and a shaman. Generally, pathfinders are the either the wiliest, strongest, or in rare cases, eldest of the tribe, and are elected and removed from power by vote.

Economics:Very limited trade among the kokudo (realms of the shokou) due to the vast expanses of bizarre and magical wilderness between them, and the wild Kaibutsu. Most trade is facilitated by the Shouka, the merchant houses.

Religion:Very Shinto-esque veneration of the spirits that exist everywhere. The major ones are called Kami, gods, and they are venerated greatly. There is no "greatest" god, though Terashi, the Sun Kami, is a popular one. Worship is very passive. One makes offerings to altars and burns prayer strips, or wears items and symbols which attract the favor of various Kami.Monks who dwell in the wilderness are often pledged to various powerful Kami or nature spirits (Kodama).The Rurousha do the same, though they venerate a tribal spirit or totem rather than many gods.

Technology:The Koushou are feudal Japan, almost exactly (with the addition of the artifacts and wonders associated with the joubu), while the Rurousha vary from early Bronze Age to Iron Age.

Transportation:There are no horses.In places where it is feasible, some Joubu ride huge fish, flightless birds, or even giant moths.The society of the Koushou harness all manner of strange animals and Kaibutsu- huge spiders, massive tentacle-things, great carp, et cetera.

Arts/Literature:What to do in the meantime but paint, write, draw?

Shadow:The shokou of the Koushou are constantly feuding and fighting amongst each other.The Koushou and the Rurousha don't always get along.There are always Kaibutsu, ready to pounce.The Akuma (dark gods) and the Oni (demons) are always waiting to bust through the walls of reality and unleash their akuma-joubu (fiend heroes) on the mortals.There are the Rajhava (sennin).There are evil sorcerors, cultists, and the like.

Power:There are three kinds of magic:Mahou, the ritual magic of the KoushouShamanism of the RuroushaVoid Magic, the magic of evil.

In addition, there are the miraculous powers of the Joubu, and the powers of the Rajhava.

Rules:Crunch-powers for the Joubu, and capability to learn Mahou (after studying with monks and such)Rurousha characters can tame beasts, use Shamanism

For those of you who have read "World Building 102", you have heard of the "magic checklist" for creating worlds. If you read further down the list you get a worksheet using the checklist, one of which is formatted for forum use. http://www.strolen.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=25146#25146

The link in the OP is broken. Fix please?

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He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. When one gazes into an abyss, he is gazed into by the abyss.-Friedrich Nietzsche.